Case study - STRIDE

Like many companies, STRIDE had been succesful in the early years of growth but now needed support in building a clear and deliverable vision for the future. Peter Smith was invited to help them formulate that strategy 

Stride is the SHARP Training, Recycling & income Development Enterprise and the trading arm of the Leicester based Charity SHARP (Reg. No. 1000515)

They are a social enterprise, providing work experience and training in a real business environment. They provide many work experience placements and accredited training opportunities to a variety of people, including long term unemployed, vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals, young people leaving school unsure of their next step to take, together with options for year 10 & 11 students wishing to follow alternative curriculum opportunities.

In addition they assemble, recycle, refurbish, sell and deliver furniture. This furniture is produced at their warehouse by people on work placements. These work placements offer the opportunity to work in a real working environment and gives vital training which helps towards their employability.

 

The Board of Directors and Senior Mangers attended a Strategic Planning workshop facilitated by Peter Smith, from which they were able to take away a plan that they had confidence in their ability to deliver. They worked through establishing the ambitions and aspirations of the team, explored market opportunities and turned those into a set of clear objectives. By understanding the strength and weaknesses of the organisation, they were able to identify the critical factors that needed to be addressed if their plan was to be achieved. They were then taking forward this plan to build an operational business plan to involve the new management team.

 

During the time I have worked with STRIDE, they have achieved growth exceeding 30% per annum over each of four years and have won the Leicestershire Business Awards and an award from RBS as the 20th fastest growing Social Enterprise in the UK. The organisation is now extending across the Midlands region with new facilities in Nottingham & Derby.